McDougall Cottage spared from major cuts

Regional council has spared McDougall Cottage as part of its 2013 budget slashing.

Among the cuts used to shrink the tax increase to 2.74 per cent – adding $45 to the average tax bill – councillors opted to cut only $5,000 from the museum’s budget, rather than the $80,000 proposed.

At the start of Wednesday’s meeting, budget chair Tom Galloway acknowledged an $80,000 cut – or 55 per cent of the total budget of McDougall Cottage– was not fair, and revised the number to $10,000.

Staff indicated the revised number would still result in the museum having to close 50 of a combined 160 days, which was still unfair in the eyes of some councillors.

“Closing for about a third of the year? I don’t see why we would do that,” said Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig.

“It shouldn’t even be in there,” added North Dumfries Mayor Rob Deutschmann, adding that “$10,000 is a small amount, but it has significant impact.”

Council voted against the $10,000 budget cut, but in a strange twist, Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr requested a recorded vote on his proposal to cut the budget by $5,000 – an action Craig took exception to.

Council voted in favour of the $5,000 reduction, as well as a $45,000 cut to Waterloo Region Museum and a $22,000 cut to Joseph Schneider House.

The McDougall Cottage debate was one of many in the council chamber Wednesday afternoon as councillors reduced the regional budget.

The $135-million police budget makes up more than half of the increase as council approved a 7.3 per cent budget increase for the service over 2012, which will account for a 1.73 per cent tax increase.

It could have been more, however, Deutschmann proposed adding another $500,000.

“The city and the region are expanding and certain crimes are on the decline, but as I meet people in the region and North Dumfries, the view is they want more enforcement,” he said.

About $1.2 million in contributions to the long-term funding strategy for roads was deferred for this year, eliminating a 0.3 per cent property tax increase.

Zehr requested the cut be reduced to $600,000, saying the deferral will only hurt the region in the long run, but he garnered no support.

About $400,000 was also cut from the transportation budget for weed cutting on regional roads and grass cutting on regional roads, eliminating nine student summer jobs.

Zehr and Craig had some concern over the visual impact of allowing weeds and long grass to remain uncut.

“We must consider the impact on tourism and economic development,” Zehr cautioned. “I cannot support this.”

Grand River Transit will see its iXpress service reduced to every 15 minutes in July and August, saving about $350,000. Staff told council some passengers would be left standing at stops about twice per day due to overcrowded buses.

“When building a brand it’s more than just a name, but customer experience,” said Deutschmann, who did not support the reduction. “We’re hurting the brand by affecting service.”

“This is something that stops people from taking transit,” said Coun. Jane Mitchell. “I will not support this.”

Council also opted to stop paying for incoming and outgoing text message fees for bus information, saving $100,000. Customers are now responsible for their own text fees.

A seven per cent fare hike will also come into affect July 1.

The City of Waterloo approved a 1.55 per cent tax increase in December, adding $18.29 to the average tax bill. Kitchener and Cambridge have yet to pass their 2013 budget.